Monday, May 28, 2012

Halo - Halo de Iloko Balay

After having lunch at Thunderbird Resort, well, more like in the room, we decided to go out and have dinner outside Poro Point. I asked the staff in the lobby to recommend the best restaurant nearby and she said Halo-Halo de Iloko. And so, with a map on hand printed by the concierge, we made our way to the town proper where the restaurant is located.

Don't be deceived by the name because they certainly has a lot to offer more than the dessert this house was built from eight years ago. In fact, they just celebrated their anniversary last month, hence the written messages posted all over the restaurant's walls.

This place reminds me of Cafe Juanita in Pasig with the random decorations or as my friend would describe, organized clutter.

It was a hot night so we decided to dine inside even if the chairs are not comfy and the table, errr, more like the coffee table, is way too small to hold all our orders.

The waitress recommended for us to try their Buko Shake but we thought since we are ordering the most famous Buko Halo-Halo, we settled for what she said is another crowd favorite -- Pandan Juice.

More popularly know as sago minus the gulaman.

Instead of garlic, they put sesame seeds on top of the rice.

If there's a cup of ice, expect to have more than one entree as we love to have choices. We chose Sweet and Sour Bangus Belly and Beef Kare-Kare with Bagoong from the three-page menu. Bangus in this side of the country is really export quality -- they're bigger, fatter and definitely yummier!

Halo-Halo de Iloko's version of Kare-Kare was okay. The beef was tenderized it almost melts in your mouth but it would be better if the peanut taste is more distinct. Up to now, I haven't tasted a better version that can beat my dad's Kare-Kare.

I like my Bagoong spicy and a bit sweet but this one can pass.

If chicken built Max's house, I think this halo-halo is responsible why there's Halo-Halo de Iloko Balay today.

As expected, Buko Halo-Halo is served in a buko overflowing with ingredients like Ube San Gabriel, Nata de Coco, Saba, Gulaman cooked with Buko Juice, Macapuno, Corn, Yema with Pandan and Ice Cream on top. They also use muscovado sugar instead of the regular one.

It was sinfully delicious -- not too sweet and very creamy. Ten spoons up!

Even the balay (house) is as colorful as their Halo-Halo.

We made a quick pit stop at the casino but didn't go inside fearing both our accounts will run dry in just one night. So we just spent the night admiring the beauty that is Thunderbird and had a mini-pictorial at the entrance of the resort.